Homicide Watch D.C.

The man suspected in the death of Leon Young told police that Young confessed to killing another man moments before Young swung a knife at him. But he also said he intended to drive to Mexico after killing Young with a hammer and stealing his car.

That’s according to documents charging Jeffrey Neal, 21, on suspicion of second-degree murder in the case. Neal was presented with the charge Saturday and will remain held until a preliminary hearing in the case scheduled for July 8.

Young, 22, was found dead at about 11:30 a.m. on June 12 in 1800 block of 8th Street Northwest. Charging documents say that medical examiners estimated that Young’s head was hit more than 20 times with a weapon that could have had a “round blunt head.”
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A man found dead inside a burning home in Northeast DC earlier this month has been identified and police have determined the cause of death to be suicide.

Investigators determined that the fire to the home was intentionally set, MPD said.

Jurors Monday found Arik Adanti Sims guilty of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and three related weapons charges in connection with the shooting death of Lamar Fonville after less than two full days of deliberations.

Fonville, 33, was found shot on a sidewalk in the 7400 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest on September 30, 2012. Prosecutors argued that Sims shot Fonville seemingly without provocation in front of Fonville’s friend during the two week trial.
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A triple shooting in Southeast DC shortly after midnight Sunday killed one man and sent two others to local hospitals, according to MPD Officer Paul Metcalf.

Police have identified the deceased victim as 20-year-old Delano Phillips of Southeast DC.

The others shot were also adult men, Metcalf said.

No arrests have been made in the case, Metcalf said.

This post has been updated to include Sunday’s shooting in Southeast DC.

In Brief:

There were three homicides reported this week:

• Gerald Sidney Martin was shot and killed Wednesday in Southeast D.C. Martin was found in the 1900 block of Bruce Place, Southeast, at approximately 1:31 p.m., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
• Leon Young, a 22-year-old DC, was found beaten in Shaw mid-day Thursday. An autopsy Friday determined that he died of blunt force trauma. Jeffery Bernard Neal, 21, of Northwest DC, on suspicion of second-degree murder.
• A triple shooting shortly after midnight Sunday killed 20-year-old Delano Phillips. Two others were injured in the shooting.

Allen Thomas, 28, was presented with a charge of second-degree murder Thursday in connection to the stabbing death of Elike Rahmon Richardson. Richardson, 36, was found by police at the 4400 Block of C Street, Southeast on May 13, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Thomas was arrested Wednesday, and ordered held without bond pending a preliminary hearing June 27.

Demitrich Jones, 16, was presented Thursday with the charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection to the shooting death of Rashard Raigns, 33. According to charging documents, Raigns was shot by another suspect in the case, William Smallwood, who was arrested Tuesday. Raigns was found by police on June 4, in the 1900 Block of Fenwick Street Northwest suffering from a gunshot wound.

William Smallwood, 22, was presented Wednesday with the charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection to the shooting death of Rashard Raigns. According to police, Raigns was killed during a robbery on June 4, in Northwest D.C. Court documents say video police recovered shows three men try to steal a laptop from Raigns. Smallwood is held without bond and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 26.

During a preliminary hearing Monday, Judge Russell Canan found probable cause for the charge of second-degree murder against Tracy Mathis,30, in connection to the shooting death of India Chapple. Police found 26-year-old Chapple suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the the 2500 Block of Pomeroy Road Southeast on April 19, at approximately 2 a.m. Mathis and Chapple had two children together.

Judge Rhonda Winston ruled Thursday that there is substantial probability in the case against Antonio Hester, in connection with the shooting death of Tracy McFadden. On the early morning hours of January 19, 2013, police found 44-year-old McFadden outside a nightclub on the 2700 Block of Georgia Avenue Northwest suffering from six gunshot wounds, including four to his neck.

Antonio Williams was sentenced Friday to four years and two months in prison for the death of Andre McIntyre on March 1, 2014. Emergency personnel found McIntyre bleeding from a head wound and unconscious near the 300 block of Ridge Road Southeast just after midnight. He later died at the hospital. McIntyre pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in April.

Alphonso Cleveland was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison for strangling his wife Claudia Hall, to death, and stabbing her. Hall, 51, was the first homicide victim of this year. She was found dead by police in her apartment at the 300 block of 18th Place Northeast at approximately 2:20 p.m. Cleveland, 52, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April.

Lester Williams and Marcellus Jackson were sentenced Friday for the shooting death of Jamal Coates on Sept. 28, 2010. Williams was sentenced to 47 years, and Jackson was sentenced to 38 years. The three men, along with Keir Johnson, were convicted of multiple criminal counts including conspiracy, murder, obstruction of justice, assault, and weapons charges.

The death of a 22-year-old DC man found beaten in Shaw mid-day Thursday has been ruled a homicide and an arrest has been made in the case, MPD reported Saturday afternoon.

Police said Leon Young, of Northwest DC, was found dead at about 11:30 a.m. An autopsy Friday determined that he died of blunt force trauma.

Friday night police arrested Jeffery Bernard Neal, 21, of Northwest DC, on suspicion of second-degree murder.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.
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“These defendants are our city’s children, the verdicts against them are heartbreaking, the lives that they took were valued and the loss of those victims is heartbreaking,” Judge Lynn Leibovitz said before delivering the sentences of Robert Givens, Marcellus Jackson, and Lester Williams.

The three men, along with Keir Johnson were convicted of multiple criminal counts including conspiracy, murder, obstruction of justice, assault, and weapons charges. Prosecutors argued that their allegiance to “G-Rod,” a group living near 14th and Girard, caused the death of Paul Jones, Sean Robinson and Jamal Coates.

Judge Leibovitz sentenced Jackson to a total of 38 years in prison, including 25 years for a charge of second-degree murder. Williams was sentenced to 47 and a half years in prison, including 37 years for a charge of first-degree murder.

“Each one of them had the resources to take a different path,” said Leibovitz. “Instead they have destroyed lives, violently [took] lives of young men just like them, loved and beloved by their community and family.”
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Alphonso Cleveland was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for strangling his wife Claudia Hall, to death, and stabbing her.

“This homicide was violent, brutal and very personal,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Sanchez,”This was someone [Hall] loved and cared about.”

Cleveland, 52, plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April but was originally suspected of second-degree murder while armed in the January 3, 2014, murder.

Hall, 51, was the first homicide victim of this year. She was found dead by police in her apartment on the 300 block of 18th Place Northeast at approximately 2:20 p.m.

Outside the courtroom, Herbert Smallwood, 34, Hall’s nephew, said he disagreed with the government allowing Cleveland to plea for involuntary manslaughter.

“It should have been second-degree murder,” said Smallwood. “I did sixteen years for a drug charge, and this man is getting nine years for killing someone. You do the math.”
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The man charged with fatally stabbing Elike Rahmon Richardson in Southeast DC last month has told police that he did so in his mother’s defense.

The suspect, Allen Thomas, was presented with a charge of second-degree murder Thursday. He was ordered held pending a preliminary hearing.
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Before he was sentenced to more than four years in prison, Antonio Williams turned to face Andre McIntyre’s family and told them he “practiced and practiced” what he was going to say.

“But it ain’t coming together right,” Williams said, “Because I’m looking at y’all and I see pain in y’all’s eyes.”

On March 1, 2014, just after midnight, police officers found McIntryre unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. Prosecutors said that Williams punched McIntyre that night because McIntyre owed him money.
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